http://www.thehawaiiindependent.com/local/waianae News • Culture • Community English news@thehawaiiindependent.com Copyright 2011 The Hawaii Independent Corporation Thursday, February 9 2012 9:05 AM /story/lest-move-event-encourages-healthy-living-in-leeward-oahu /story/lest-move-event-encourages-healthy-living-in-leeward-oahu MAILI — The City and County of Honolulu presents E ‘Oni Kâkou, Let’s Move! on Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Maili Beach Park. The event is part of a national initiative encouraging Americans to get active by promoting a healthy lifestyle through recreation. The local event features healthy cooking demonstrations, including a session by celebrity chef Grant Kawasaki from OC16’s Hawaiian Grown cooking show. There will be free blood pressure testing and exercise clinics, such as zumba and hot hula. Vendors from Ma‛o Farms and Kahumana Farms will be selling fresh organic produce. Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by Michelle Obama, that is dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food and aims to help kids become more physically active.    The local effort is free and open to all ages. Other Let’s Move! events are being planned for more Oahu communities in the future. E ‘Oni Kâkou, Let’s Move! Saturday, October 15, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Maili Beach Park   News Culture Community Thursday, October 13 2011 9:46 PM /story/roller-derby-ladies-skate-for-school-drive /story/roller-derby-ladies-skate-for-school-drive Pacific Roller Derby has joined the Hawaii Jaycees to support the 4th Annual Adopt A School Day, a statewide grassroots effort to establish awareness and service to Hawaii’s schools. This call for service hits close to home for the hip-checking rollergirls—many of whom are mothers and teachers. Rookie rollergirl Kuchi 2Sox is a teacher at Leihoku Elementary school in Waianae. After completing the Pacific’s roller derby boot camp, an intensive 6-to-8 week training program that prepares skaters to pass a required minimum skills test, Kuchi compared student time in the classroom to teacher time on the flat-track. “I can’t help to think that my kids go through the same thing,” Kuchi said. “The same anxiety, the same uncertainty, and the same feeling of excitement and joy when they finally complete a task.” Kuchi said that roller derby has taught her to be more patient and confident and that the sport reminds her to continue encouraging her own students to do their best. Skaters will kick off their pledge to support Leeward-based elementary schools by hosting a “Back to School Daze” scrimmage and school supply drive this Saturday featuring Lunch Ladies and Gym Teachers in the feared “roller derby cage” at The Hideaway Club. Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used school supplies ranging from pens and pencils to binders, backpacks, and more, to this Saturday’s family friendly event. Admission is $7 for the general public, $5 for military fans with a valid ID, and free for keiki 12 and under. Non-military fans are required to RSVP at www.pacificrollerderby.com by midnight on Friday, August 26 to gain access to the Coast Guard Air Station for the afternoon event, or be sponsored by an active military duty member. Fans are encouraged to bring beach chairs for seating and can enjoy live roller derby, a bake sale, and show league support by purchasing Pacific Roller Derby t-shirts, aprons, and more. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and the bout begins at 4:00 p.m., followed by live music by local rockers Boy and Sea and Ever After Ever. The all-ages event turns into an 18-and-up event after sunset, and fans are invited to stay and talk story with their favorite derby girls, referees, and non-skating officials. For more information, visit www.pacificrollerderby.com. Back to School Daze Scrimmage Saturday, August 27 at 4:00 p.m. The Hideaway Club, USCG Air Station at Barber’s Point 1 Coral Sea Street $7/$5 admission News Culture Community Friday, August 26 2011 5:30 AM /story/honolulu-city-council-committee-to-discuss-commercial-activity-at-public-pa /story/honolulu-city-council-committee-to-discuss-commercial-activity-at-public-pa HONOLULU—On Tuesday, August 30, the Honolulu City Council’s Committee on Parks and Cultural Affairs will be discussing several bills pertaining to activities at City parks. Bill 5 (2011) would prohibit commercial activities at certain City beach parks on Sundays. Resolution 11-177 urges the City administration to conduct a three-year pilot program allowing commercial activity at certain City parks. Resolution 11-239 supports the after-hours use of City parks by fishermen for shoreline access at certain parks on the Leeward Coast of Oahu. Also on the agenda is the reappointment of Gary Pacarro to serve as a member on the Board of Parks and Recreation for a second term through 2015. For information on testifying and for the full agenda, click here The City’s Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs will also be hearing bills on August 30 at 1:00 p.m. pertaining to Filipino World War II veterans as well as an agreement with Olelo Community Television. For the Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs’ agenda, click here News Culture Community Friday, August 26 2011 4:50 AM /story/town-hall-meeting-takes-a-look-at-public-education-in-waianae /story/town-hall-meeting-takes-a-look-at-public-education-in-waianae HONOLULU—A town hall meeting focused on education has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 17 in Waianae District Park’s Multi-Purpose Room from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The meeting was called by State Rep. Jo Jordan (D) of District 45 (Waianae, Makaha, and Makua). The public is invited to hear a presentation and to join in the discussion on public education and the status of the public schools in the Waianae complex area. Guest speakers include Lisa DeLong, the Department of Education Complex Area Superintendent of Nanakuli and Waianae, and Dee Jay Mailer, Kamehameha Schools’ chief executive officer. The meeting is structured around the following questions: 1. How much money has been appropriated for public education statewide, and, specifically for the Waianae district schools? 2. How are our public schools currently performing, and what are some of the improvements planned for the future? 3. Who are some of our community partners in public education? For more information, contact the office of Rep. Jo Jordan at (808) 586-8460. News Culture Community Wednesday, August 17 2011 12:05 AM /story/honolulu-zoning-and-planning-committee-meets-thursday /story/honolulu-zoning-and-planning-committee-meets-thursday HONOLULU—The City and County of Honolulu’s Committee on Zoning and Planning will meet Thursday, August 4 at 9:00 a.m. in the Committee Meeting Room. To see the full agenda, and for information on testifying, click here On the agenda: * The appointment of Lyle M. Ishida and Antonio J. Saguibo, Jr. to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals as well as Glenn H. Miyasato on the Building Board of Appeals. * Amending the Land Use Ordinance (LUO) to limit residents right to display noncommercial signs on residential and agricultural property in order to “reduce visual distractions.” * Extending the deadline for construction of the Kaukamana Hale Affordable Housing Project at Lualualei in Waianae. * Rezoning land situated at 41-665 Kaulukanu St. in Waimanalo from AG-1 Restricted Agricultural District to AG-2 General Agricultural District. * Granting a Special Management Area Use Permit (SMP) to allow improvements to Farrington Highway, including widening the highway from four to five lanes, providing a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists, and upgrading highway lighting and drainage improvements. News Culture Community Monday, August 1 2011 11:32 PM /story/letter-time-is-up-for-the-waimanalo-gulch-sanitary-landfill /story/letter-time-is-up-for-the-waimanalo-gulch-sanitary-landfill The following letter was written by Honolulu City Councilmember Tom Berg, who represents Kapolei, Ewa, and the Waianae Coast. The Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill is destined to plague our district for another decade or more unless we act to stop it. General comments are being accepted up to August 13. I sent a letter to the Department of Planning and Permitting requesting the comment period be extended. To read the Department of Planning and Permitting notice, click here I have introduced Resolution 11-100 that combats the neglect, poor judgment, and lack of planning to remedy our landfill crisis. In my opinion, we need a specialist to focus on expediting new technologies to be permitted and get them up and running sooner than later to render the landfill obsolete. Instead, our City leaders are advancing resources to keep the landfill alive when my efforts counter that to rather expend resources to make landfill operations a way of the past. Nowadays, we can recycle more efficiently and lead the way in this industry. Our town hall meeting held July 12 at Makaha Elementary School was recorded by Olelo. The playback dates are: Friday, July 29 at 5:00 p.m. on VIEW 54 Sunday, July 31 at 10:30 a.m. on VIEW 54 Tuesday, August 2 at 1:00 p.m. FOCUS 49 Putting homeless families on agriculture land is worth the try and our office is leading the way for solutions. Let’s grow families instead of weeds. Our Resolution 11-54 CD1 Proposed is gaining ground. The shipping container concept was recently covered by the MidWeek West Oahu Islander. Councilmember Tom Berg District 1 (808) 768-5001 tberg@honolulu.gov Related Stories: Residents raise concerns of gridlock, ‘homelessness,’ and industrial waste in Waianae plan PVT landfill permit extension: Nanakuli residents wait to be heard News Culture Community Tuesday, July 26 2011 1:54 AM /story/seed-program-awarded-million-grant /story/seed-program-awarded-million-grant HONOLULU—The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Student Equity, Excellence & Diversity (SEED) office has been awarded a $1.15 million grant—consisting of $230,000 annually over a five-year period through the U.S. Department of Education/TRiO Programs. The grant will help fund the Manoa Educational Talent Search (METS) program, which serves students attending Nanakuli High and Intermediate School and Waianae High School. METS conducts intensive academic enrichment activities to increase student retention in and graduation from high school and to support students undertaking a rigorous program of study.  The program offers multiple college campus visits and career exploration activities, links participants to tutoring and summer bridge programs, assists students in applying for college and financial aid, and monitors students’ postsecondary enrollment and degree attainment. Maile Goo, a faculty member within the SEED office, will serve as Principal Investigator (PI). Goo currently directs the Ronald E. McNair Student Achievement Program, which aims to prepare students for completion of PhD degrees, and the Graduate Professional Access (GPA) Program. News Culture Community Wednesday, July 20 2011 3:17 AM /story/city-parks-committee-to-consider-beack-park-vendor-resolution /story/city-parks-committee-to-consider-beack-park-vendor-resolution LEEWARD COAST—The Honolulu City Council Parks and Human Services Committee will convene on Tuesday, June 21 to consider several resolutions, including one that will create a three-year pilot program to allow commercial activity at City parks in Leeward Oahu. Resolution 11-177 would permit vendors to set up tables and kiosks to sell food and crafts to beachgoers at City parks during the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Urged by the Nanakuli Neighborhood Board and introduced by Councilmember Tom Berg, it is hoped that the resolution will stimulate economic growth in Leeward Oahu. News Culture Community Thursday, June 16 2011 9:24 PM /story/donation-may-preserve-last-specimen-of-endangered-wild-gardenia /story/donation-may-preserve-last-specimen-of-endangered-wild-gardenia WAIANAE — A Hawaii bottled water company has joined with two conservation groups to try and ensure the survival of the last known native nanu plant in the wild on Oahu. The nanu, or Gardenia brighamii, is a native gardenia and was located on State lands in the Waianae Mountains. Gardenia brighamii, now nearly extinct, could once be found on all of the major islands except Kauai, in dry, rocky forest areas. Native Hawaiians used the wood to make anvils to pound kapa cloth, dye, and as posts for homes. Although it is grown on a small scale as an ornamental plant for its fragrant blossoms, it has been decimated in the wild. The nanu can grow to as tall as 15 feet. Through habitat loss due to agricultural and urban expansion, grazing and trampling by feral pigs and goats, soil erosion, invasive species, and predation of seeds by rats, the number of nanu trees in all of Hawaii is now estimated at 20 or less. A donation of nearly $3000 by Hawaiian Springs Water, which sources its bottled water products on the island of Hawaii, and the cooperation of the Hawaii Plant Extinction Program and Waianae Mountains Watershed partnership have given the last remaining specimen of nanu on Oahu a chance to survive.   News Culture Community Thursday, May 26 2011 1:19 AM /story/home-energy-education-challenge-needs-teachers-to-get-involved /story/home-energy-education-challenge-needs-teachers-to-get-involved According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, petroleum provides nearly nine-tenths of all the energy consumed in Hawaii. The transportation sector leads energy demand in Hawaii, due in large part to heavy jet fuel use by military installations and commercial airlines. Petroleum-fired power plants supply more than three-fourths of Hawaii’s electricity generation. In an effort to get energy conservation on the level with the nation’s education system, the federal government has created America’s Home Energy Education Challenge. The following is a message about the challenge from the U.S. Department of Energy’s new media strategist, Andy Oare: Let’s be honest. Many of us probably had trouble paying attention one or two times in middle school science class. While the occasional frog dissection and “potato-volt” experiments were cool, not all of us got up in the morning, scarfed down Cocoa Puffs and got geeked about test tubes and chlorophyll. And that’s not to discredit the great teachers out there, but as they all know (and as Ms. Ives, my 7th grade teacher knew quite well), sometimes the 12-year-old mind just has WAY more important things to think about. It can be quite a feat coming up with new and exciting ways to engage our young folk when it comes to energy and science, but the Department of Energy and the National Science Teachers Association have put together a new challenge to ignite that spark. America’s Home Energy Education Challenge is designed to harness the imagination and enthusiasm of America’s students to encourage home energy efficiency. “Energy efficiency is all about helping families save money by saving energy,” said Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “America’s Home Energy Education Challenge leverages the passion and curiosity of students to encourage families across the country to reduce energy waste in their homes while inspiring the next generation of American’s energy leaders.” Geared specifically towards students in grades 3 to 8, teams of participating teachers and students will compete this fall to reduce energy waste in their homes by recording their energy consumption data for three months. Then, that data will be compared to energy usage data from the same time period a year ago. These teams will collectively challenge other teams in their community, and then compete regionally and even nationally to see who are the best energy savings champions. Another cool part of the challenge is the new Energy Fitness Award. Modeled after the famous President’s Physical Fitness award, the Energy Fitness Award challenges students to improve their knowledge of energy use in buildings, to learn more about the energy they use, and to design and develop energy plans. Registration is open now for school principals and teachers until September 30, 2011. From September through December, energy data will be measured, and the awards will be announced in January 2012. So Moms and Dads out there—get ready for a new kind of school science project, one that will get the kids psyched about science and save you money by saving energy at home. You can get info on prizes, regional breakdowns, grading criteria, and learn much more American’s Home Energy Education Challenge at HomeEnergyChallenge.org. News Culture Community Tuesday, May 24 2011 10:07 PM /story/hawaiis-homeless-plan-are-we-in-this-for-the-long-haul-or-not /story/hawaiis-homeless-plan-are-we-in-this-for-the-long-haul-or-not News Culture Community Monday, May 23 2011 6:56 PM /story/state-plan-to-fight-homelessness-starts-with-identifying-population-assessi /story/state-plan-to-fight-homelessness-starts-with-identifying-population-assessi HONOLULU—The State administration unveiled yesterday a 90-Day Plan as part of a larger mission to end “homelessness.” The plan focuses on identifying the types of people who are houseless and assessing the status of Hawaii’s shelters. Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Marc Alexander, the governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness, said the plan takes a critical step. The 90-Day Plan coordinates government, non-profits, community and faith-based organizations, businesses, shelter and outreach services, and citizens to increase opportunities for people who are houseless to receive services. “We have to be coordinated and collaborative in our approach to ‘homelessness’ so we can face this challenge as a society,” Abercrombie said at a press conference. “This plan is about taking immediate action together.” To read the 90-Day Plan, click here The plan outlines nine specific objectives: 1. Identify and assess people who are chronically homeless for immediate services in Waikiki and the urban core of Honolulu. 2. Support the chronically homeless and chronically mentally ill who need mental health treatment. 3. Identify available substance abuse treatment services and gaps in services to maximize access for the chronically homeless in need. 4. Identify and provide outreach as early as possible where persons who are homeless are established or increasing in number. 5. Coordinate community efforts to maintain clean public areas. 6. Ensure that existing shelters are maximized for capacity and service. 7. Provide information about sound relocation and financial planning, including Hawai’i’s high cost of living, to individuals and families outside of Hawai’i who inquire about the availability of services. 8. Establish the State Interagency Council on Homelessness. 9. Educate the general public about the most effective means to eliminate homelessness. A “chronic homeless” person by federal definition is “an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.” This definition has been adopted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A new State Interagency Council on Homelessness will be formed to address broader issues, such as affordable housing strategies, in a long-term, statewide plan. “All of us in the nonprofit community are aware of the magnitude of the challenges, but we are invigorated by the attention paid and efforts undertaken by the Governor and his team,” said Darryl Vincent, Chair of Partners in Care and the local Director of U.S. Vets, a non-profit serving houseless and at-risk veterans. The 90-Day Plan will utilize existing resources and does not rely on any additional government funding, officials said. The State and other agencies will seek partnerships with the private sector, emphasizing a shared commitment from the entire community. According to 2007 data, Hawaii has twice as many people who are “homeless” per 100,000 people as the national average. Almost one-third of the sheltered “homeless” are children; more than ten percent are veterans; and over 60 percent have lived in Hawaii for more than 10 years. Almost half of the families who are homeless include someone who is employed, and almost 30 percent are Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian.  “Homeless” shelter capacity in Hawaii has doubled since 2006, according to DHS. Of the 5,800 houseless people counted in the most recent point-in-time survey, 3,500 are in shelters and 2,200 are unsheltered. There are 1,374 unsheltered people on Oahu alone: 394 in the Downtown district (from Salt Lake to Piikoi), 307 in East Honolulu (from Piikoi to Hawaii Kai, including Waikiki), 76 from Ewa to Kapolei, 77 from Kaneohe to Waimanalo, 96 from Wahiawa to North Shore and Kahuku, 14 from Kahaluu to Kahuku, and 410 on the Waianae coast. Alexander said, “Just as there is no single profile for someone who is ‘homeless,’ there are no simple solutions to ending homelessness. The exciting part of the 90-Day Plan is that it requires us to work together in new and creative ways to get the job done.” The 90-Day Plan is a collaborative effort that includes the following statewide organizations: Bridging The Gap Waikiki Health Center City & County of Honolulu Department of Community Services Institute of Human Services State Department of Human Services Homeless Programs Waianae Community Outreach Partners in Care U.S. Vets There are several call-in numbers for citizens who want to help a person who is houseless or may need health and safety intervention: Waikiki Health Center’s Care-A-Van Program on Oahu: (808) 791-9359; homelesshelp@waikikihc.org HOPE Services on Hawaii Island: (808) 935-3050; info@hopeserviceshawaii.org Family Life Center on Maui: (808) 877-0880; wanda@flcmaui.org Kauai Economic Opportunity: call (808) 245-4077, x228; keo@keoinc.org Persons wishing to help someone must provide the following information: * The location and time when the homeless individual is known to frequent the area * A detailed description of the individual or group * The caller’s contact information After a report is made, an outreach team will be assigned to visit the person. Emails and calls can be placed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Emails are preferred. Related Stories: Comment: Relating to the regulation of the poor and unwashed Following beach eviction, Waianae man commits suicide   News Culture Community Wednesday, May 18 2011 6:24 PM /story/h-power-improvements-at-halfway-point-on-time-on-budget /story/h-power-improvements-at-halfway-point-on-time-on-budget HONOLULU—The H-POWER Expansion Project, which is adding a third boiler and other improvements to the City-owned waste-to-energy facility, has reached its halfway point, on schedule and on budget.  The 20-year old facility currently generates sufficient electrical energy to power 50,000 homes. Several aspects of the expansion are near completion, including concrete work and steel support work for the boiler and generator. Electrical work has begun. The City says that improvements at H-POWER will ensure reliable performance for the next 20 years. With curbside recycling now island-wide, it is projected that the plant will allow 90 percent of Oahu’s municipal solid waste to be diverted from the landfill.   News Culture Community Friday, May 6 2011 10:00 PM /story/councilmember-berg-to-hold-waianae-town-hall-meeting /story/councilmember-berg-to-hold-waianae-town-hall-meeting WAIANAE — City Council District One representative Tom Berg will hold a town hall meeting Thursday at Mao Farms in Waianae, to discuss a number of issues that are pivotal in determining the future of the Waianae Coast. Among topics slated for discussion are the future of military land on the coast, military ordnance removal, truly affordable “one-step up” housing, pesticide use and public safety, storm flooding, and emergency access at Kolekole Pass. The meeting will run from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and feature open discussion in a public forum.  86-210 Puhawai Road Waianae 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. News Culture Community Thursday, April 28 2011 6:56 AM /story/hawaii-community-assets-establishes-credit-program-for-houseless-families /story/hawaii-community-assets-establishes-credit-program-for-houseless-families WAIANAE—Local nonprofit Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) was awarded $316,678 from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) in April to establish Renter Matched Savings and Credit Builder Loan Programs for houseless families living in transitional shelters on the Waianae Coast.  The funding will also support HCA’s delivery of its 3-year project to provide financial literacy/renter education and credit counseling to 300 transitional shelter residents to allow for successful transition into permanent housing. “During financial education workshops and credit counseling, project participants identified a lack of money and access to credit as two major barriers keeping them for successfully transitioning into permanent housing,” said HCA program coordinator Jeff Gilbreath. “We want to mahalo OHA for this funding, which will allow us in Hawaii to address these issues by establishing financial products that are specific to the lifestyles of our ‘homeless’ families and rooted in the concept of shared responsibility.” The Renter Matched Savings Program will be based off HCA’s existing Homebuyer and Youth MATCH Savings Programs and will provide project participants with a 5:1 match on savings up to $500 for a total of $3,000 to cover the costs of rental and utility deposits, moving expenses, and other costs associated with securing a rental apartment. Participants will be required to engage in individualized credit counseling and family financial education workshops to receive their match. According to Gilbreath, current asset limits on public benefits often dissuade Hawaii’s “homeless” population from building adequate savings out of fear that it could keep them from accessing said benefits in order to compliment their monthly income to cover basic living expenses. “The matched savings and Credit Builder Loan programs are vehicles for us to encourage long-term savings habits and asset building strategies among our homeless families without selling poverty as a solution to our economic struggles,” Gilbreath said. HCA’s Credit Builder Loan Program was launched in December 2010 through its nonprofit lending program, Hawaii Community Lending. The Credit Builder Loans are fixed at a 6 percent interest rate over a term of 12 months with the maximum loan amount at $250. HCA secures the loans allowing them to function as a forced savings product as well, in which participants “re-pay” over a 1 year period and once the loan is repaid in-full, receive their $250 back. To-date HCA has a portfolio of 10 individuals who have been current with their payments for the last 6 months. In order to expand financial services and products to underserved families statewide, HCA is reaching out to local banks, credit unions, foundations, and the general public to invest in Hawaii’s “homeless” families through its Renter Matched Savings and Credit Builder Loan Programs. To invest in HCA or setup a presentation on how to support such programs, contact HCA program coordinator Jeff Gilbreath at (808) 587-7653 or jeff@hawaiiancommunity.net. News Culture Community Tuesday, April 26 2011 11:10 PM /story/land-use-commission-denies-industrial-park-petition /story/land-use-commission-denies-industrial-park-petition HONOLULU—The State Land Use Commission has denied Tropic Land LLC’s petition to allow a light industrial park’s construction on Lualualei valley farmland. Of the eight Commissioners present (absent was Maui Rep. Lisa Judge), three –- Normand Lezy, Charles Jencks, and Ronald Heller –- denied the motion for approval made by Duane Kanuha. Land boundary amendments require a supermajority of six votes for approval. For two of the dissenters, it came down to the developer’s inability to come to an agreement with the military over use of Lualualei Naval Access Road, the only feasible route to the parcel. The costs of both upgrading the road to meet city codes and providing for its long-term maintenance also remain inconclusive. “That is an issue the petitioners should have reconciled prior to the filing of the petition,” Lezy said of the military road. “I think it’s fundamental to the decision making criteria that’s before us on a variety of levels, not the least of which is whether or not the project is financially viable.” “In most jurisdictions, you can’t even get a building permit without having legally established access to your property,” Jencks said. “It’s a very fundamental issue in my opinion.” According to the Hawaii Administrative Rules, after the LUC’s written decision is drawn up, Tropic Land LLC has up to seven days to file to the commission a motion for reconsideration. The petitioner can request the LUC to review facts and points of law that may have been overlooked or misunderstood. The commission would have until May 20 to change its decision.  The LUC’s decision comes after a major effort led by the Hawaiian-environmental non-profit KAHEA and the Concerned Elders of Waianae to oppose the proposed light industrial park along and any other spot zoning in the valley. “Lualualei is a fertile, culturally rich, and rural place,” said Marti Townsend, Program Director at KAHEA. “It deserves our respect and protection from incompatible land uses like this industrial park proposed in the middle of farms, homes, and conservation lands.” “This is a tremendous victory for the farmers and for all of Waianae,” said Alice Greenwood, spokesperson for the Concerned Elders. “Not only have we saved this farmland, but we have helped to protect neighboring farms and uphold the integrity of Honolulu’s agricultural districts.” KAHEA and The Concerned Elders are also opposing the project’s inclusion in the draft version of the Waianae Sustainable Communities Plan (SCP), which the city’s Planning Commission will vote to approve in the next thirty days. If approved by the nine-member commission (a supermajority of six votes are required), the draft SCP will move on to the City Council for ratification. If not approved, the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) will have to revise the plan and then resubmit to the Commission, which will host more public testimony before voting for it again.  The Nanakuli neighborhood board and the Waianae Coast Rotary Club, among other groups, officially supports the proposed light industrial park because they believe in its economic potential for the community. News Culture Community Monday, April 25 2011 7:25 PM /story/waimanalo-gulch-landfill-convenience-centers-reopen /story/waimanalo-gulch-landfill-convenience-centers-reopen WAIANAE—The Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill (WGSL) and all City refuse facilities are open to the public and back to normal operations. All six convenience centers—Ewa, Laie, Wahiawa, Waianae, Waimanalo and Waipahu—along with the Kapaa, Kawailoa and Keehi transfer stations have lifted all previous restrictions while the landfill was unavailable. Waste Management Hawaii, who operates and maintains the landfill for the City, received both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Health approvals after completing repairs. The landfill experienced three major rainstorm events from December 19, 2010, through January 13, 2011. The last event flooded the active waste cell, dislodging trash and debris into the ocean. News Culture Community Friday, April 15 2011 8:56 PM /story/decision-to-build-light-industrial-park-on-lualualei-valley-farmland-postpo /story/decision-to-build-light-industrial-park-on-lualualei-valley-farmland-postpo Please note that a clarification on the voting protocol has been added at the end of the article. HONOLULU—The State Land Use Commission’s (LUC) decision to allow a light industrial park to be built on Lualualei valley farmland has been rescheduled for April 20 or 21 due to voting constraints. Only six of the nine commissioners were present for the Friday, April 8 meeting at the Leiopapa a Kamehameha State office tower in downtown Honolulu. Two commissioners, Charles Jencks and Ronald Heller, voted to deny the petition that would amend the 96-acre parcel’s current agricultural designation to an urban one. But the following four commissioners denied the motion: Chairman Vladimir Devens, Duane Kanuha, Nicholas Teves, and Kyle Chock. Because a six-vote super majority is required to approve or deny the boundary amendment, the split vote did not carry any decision making force. “Hopefully the other commissioners will be present so that we get a definitive decision one way or the other,” Devens said. The LUC’s pending decision comes after months of public testimony given both for and against the project, which the developer claims would provide affordable business space for the community. And although a great deal of attention had been paid to arguments touting or refuting the cultural and agricultural significance of the site, for commissioners Jencks and Heller it came down to the logistics. Jencks cited unresolved access and maintenance concerns as his reason to reject the amendment. There is currently only one viable road up to the property—the military-controlled Lualualualei Naval Access Road. To date, the developer has not reached an easement agreement with the Navy. Needed upgrades and maintenance costs for the road are also still in limbo. “It seems to be that this Commission shouldn’t be in the business of awarding boundary amendment to properties that have these kinds of issues associated with them that can’t be clarified, can’t be straightened out,” Jencks said. “I’m not necessarily saying that this petition should be denied forever,” Heller said. “I think the petitioner should get access to the road established before they come to us to make this decision.” None of the other commissioners commented on their positions. Of those that gave their final testimonies last week was the State Office of Planning (OP), which did not object to the boundary amendment but proposed that the LUC impose a five-year deadline for obtaining the easement and also recommended that the road access be effective for at least 30 years. If no agreement is made by then, Tropic Land LLC would have to approach the Commission for review. The State agency also advocated that the industrial park be built to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards in order to satisfy State laws on conserving natural resources. Representing Tropic Land, attorney William Yuen stated that the developer agrees to the five-year timeframe for both acquiring the long term easement as well as for obtaining approval in the City and County’s Waianae Sustainable Communities Plan (SCP), which is currently in the renewal process. But the LEED certification requirement, which, according to Tropic Land, would increase construction costs by 10 to 15 percent, was rejected on the grounds that only one warehouse in the state meets such requirements. Yuen also noted that the LUC has a history of rejecting LEED certifications as conditions for approving amendment changes. “There should be no further urbanization of these agricultural lands.” Speaking on behalf of the group the Concerned Elders of Waianae, which is against the development, KAHEA attorney Marti Townsend gave her closing testimony. Highlighting arguments made at previous hearings, she emphasized both the parcel’s past agricultural productivity (challenging the developer’s assertion that the land isn’t conducive to farming) and the cultural significance of the area in the Maui and Hina legends. She also contended that, according to the Elders, allowing this “spot zoning”—or urban development in an otherwise agricultural district—would justify allowing the neighboring parcels to become landfills in the future.  “We should draw a line in the sand now,“ Townsend said, “and say there should be no further urbanization of these agricultural lands.” Others also gave their final testimonies. Representatives from the Waianae Rotary Club, the Waianae Business Center, and the Nanakuli Neighborhood board, among others, voice their support for the project. “The project would provide much needed employment opportunities for the residents of our neighborhood,” said Neighborhood Board Chair Patty Teruya. “There needs to be some kind of economic development generated in the community so that these children can feel like they’re something they have to look forward to,” said James Kelii, who is also a member of the board and is an educator. He also noted that, as a Hawaiian whose family has resided on the Waianae Coast for several generations, he believes there is no danger of harming cultural sites. Those who are opposed see things differently. “In my mind I see urbanization of that whole area, not only that place,” said Airleen Lucero of the Nanakuli Homestead Association. She had originally supported the development but changed her mind. “Where are the laws that protect our sacred ‘Aina, our sacred sky, our sacred water from investors who love only money?” Another resident, Polly Grace, also originally advocated for the project but has since withdrew her support because she heard stories of the ali‘i that used to travel near the area. She also senses spiritual activity there. “It’s not the capital dollars but the cultural Hawaiian respect that we need to pass on for generations and generations,” Grace said. “These our not taught in school. You must teach your family. And I’m glad I taught my family that because they brought it back to me.”  Update on 4/15/2011: The LUC must vote to approve of the boundary amendment by at least a six to three margin. Failure to pass a vote to deny the amendment does not grant approval. Note that there is a City and County Planning Commission meeting regarding the Waianae Sustainable Communities Plan from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20 at Kapolei Hale. Those who haven’t yet testified either for or against the proposed light industrial park’s inclusion in the plan will be allowed to do so, but please remember that 15 copies of your testimony will need to be filed with the commission 48 hours before the meeting. Related Story: Lualualei community fights to save farmland   News Culture Community Tuesday, April 12 2011 11:48 PM /story/waianaes-ka-papalana-program-to-face-crippling-cuts-to-their-operating-budg /story/waianaes-ka-papalana-program-to-face-crippling-cuts-to-their-operating-budg WAIANAE—The Partners in Development (PID) Foundation’s Ka Paʻalana program is one of many facing grave cuts from the State budget. Ka Paʻalana is well known as a family literacy program, but it in fact provides a broad range of support services to hundreds of houseless families on the Leeward coast. Last year, volunteers distributed 46,000 pounds of food and helped approximately 2,500 people with goods and services. Ka Pap’alana also furnishes toiletries, dental supplies, and assistance with the transition from beach camps into shelters or temporary houses. Their preschool component services between 600 to 1,000 children per year. Ka Paʻalana grew out of another PID Foundation program known as Tutu and Me, a traveling preschool run in cooperation with churches and other community organizations that aim to meet the developmental needs of under-served Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian populations. The work of Tutu and Me soon revealed the importance of education and literacy programs that could empower the family to help themselves. In that spirit, Ka Paʻalana family education services are as geared toward adults as well as children, including goal-setting and budgeting, vocational training, GED preparation, job placement, and parenting resources.  The goal is to help these people reach a life of sustainability, or as program director Danny Goya puts it: to provide “hands to pull themselves up instead of hand outs.” Goya explained that Ka Pap’alana is well-respected within the Waianae community at large, who have seen the value of the work of volunteers and appreciate the support the program has for local businesses such as Tamura’s, Foodland, and City Mill when supplying its members with goods. Ka Paʻalana has also recently prepared over 100 children for elementary school. Teachers in the area have given the program good feedback; they can clearly tell which children went through one of their programs, Goya said. The State budget shows that $1.4 million is the amount slated to be cut from the PID Foundation, which represents approximately half of their total operation budget, and the entirety of their funding from the Department of Human Services (DHS). Other current sources of financing besides the State include the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, and the Administration for Native Americans.  Slashing the organization’s budget by half will have wide reaching and potentially devastating consequences, Goya said. He emphasized that although the preschool component of their program is important, it is really just one piece toward transforming the lives of houseless families. He explained that “it is easy to gravitate” toward programs aimed at kids, but that the real change comes when the needs of the entire family are addressed. If the full $1.4 million is cut, two Leeward shelters and one public housing site will lose all of their services. One problem that may have made PID Foundation vulnerable to the budget cuts has to do with the way they are classified. PID Foundation’s family literacy program is currently contracted under their Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, which is considered a level 3/4 priority. In reality, the scope of services provided is more accurately a level 1/2, as they provide direct cash, job training, and food.  If the full $1.4 million is cut, two Leeward shelters and one public housing site will lose all of their services. There would also be a reduction in outreach services at their other shelters and sites, as about 20 to 30 staff members would be cut—about half of their current workforce.  Although it is hard to pinpoint the exact numbers of people because of realities such as high participant turnover, it is safe to say that hundreds of youth and adults will be adversely affected by these cuts. If parents don’t have access to these programs, then “the life for [these] families will take a tremendous hit,” Goya said. There are two shreds of hope for PID. One is Senate Bill 935, which would reallocate rainy day funds toward DHS , and has already passed through the senate. But since DHS funds so many vital programs state wide,  PID could realistically expect to only get a small share of this pie.  Best case scenario is they’d have enough money to operate for one more year. To see Senate Bill 935, click here Another glimmer of hope is the new administration for DHS. Goya hopes that they will update the State contract to reflect the reality of what they actually do—changing them from a 3/4 into a 1/2 rating. One needs only to look at the program’s staff to see the progress PID has made. Five of Ka Paʻalana current staff were previously program participants that thrived under their services.  They set educational goals for themselves, became trained as preschool teachers, and are now giving back to the program. Let’s hope that in light of our increasing houseless population that the program finds a way to continue to thrive. For more information about Ka Paʻalana, visit pidfoundation.org.   News Culture Community Saturday, March 5 2011 8:38 PM /story/non-combustible-waste-accepted-on-limited-basis-from-march-1 /story/non-combustible-waste-accepted-on-limited-basis-from-march-1 HONOLULU—The City’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) will resume acceptance of non-combustible waste at all refuse convenience centers on a limited basis beginning Tuesday, March 1. Householders will be allowed one load of non-combustible waste per week during the month of March, until further notice. Previously, the City restricted householders from disposing of non-combustible waste at its six convenience centers—Ewa, Laie, Wahiawa, Waianae, Waimanalo, and Waipahu—while Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill (WGSL) was undergoing repairs to address the effects of the unusual storm event on January 12. For addresses and phone numbers for Convenience Centers, visit www.opala.org. News Culture Community Sunday, February 27 2011 4:35 AM